Everything Good in Him
by fishfingersandcustard333
Summary: Charlie's ring represents so much, but does even more when finally given to Aaron. Charlie will always be remembered as a great hero and the best father Aaron ever had, as Claire teaches him every day.


"Hey Claire, you feeling better?" Kate asked Claire, concerned but kept on driving. Whatever was about to happen in a couple minutes, it was going to be her fault. They were almost there.

It had been a week since they had left the island for the last time. It would take some time for Claire to completely return to her old self but she had certainly recovered a lot from the island crazy-haven't taken a shower in three years lady-emotionally destroyed lady.

"Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better." Claire assured her friend. She now looked like the same, cute, sweet, blond Australian.

Kate pulled up into a parking spot.

"Are you ready?" She slowly asked.

"Yes." Claire said but after a moment began to shake her head and moaned "No... I'm not." Claire began to cry.

"It's okay, Claire. We'll do this together." Kate comforted her and patted her arm.

"What are we even going to tell him?" Claire asked.

"I've thought about that. And, I think it would be best to tell him right now that... That you were sick and had to go away for a while and I took care of him because he needed a mommy but I was just temporary but your permanent." Kate speculated starting to tear up herself.

Claire nodded. "It just feels weird. I've been looking for Aaron for so long, and he's right inside. And, my mum... When I last saw her she was in a coma!" by the end of her sentence she was out of the car and headed towards Kate's front door.

Kate got out of the car after Claire and called after her. The aussy turned around.

"Aaron should have this, and I think you should be the one to give it to him." The ex criminal held out something that had made her cry when she first found it.

Charlie's ring. Kate held it out. "When we went back to the island I found it in Aaron's old crib, the one you stopped using after all that freighter mess started. I think Charlie left it for Aaron. I asked him about it once and Charlie said it was a family ring and that one day he would give it to his son, if he ever had one. Charlie loved Aaron; Aaron was Charlie's son, really. Even if Aaron won't remember him, Charlie should still be honored."

Claire approached Kate and took the ring from her with shaking hands. She held it up to the light and nodded. "I agree. I just always thought Charlie had died with this on."

"Me too... I think it's time for you to see your son again, Claire."

**…...**

Aaron, now four years old asked curiously "Where are we going Mummy?" when he saw her packing a suitcase for herself and Aaron.

"To visit your uncle." Claire responded with a smile.

"I have an uncle?"

"Yes, you do. He's your daddy's-Charlie's brother."

"Oh…. Is he nice?" Aaron wanted to know.

"I've never met him." Claire answered. "But, I'm sure he is."

"What's his name?"

"Liam."

"When will we see him?"

"Soon Aaron. Enough with the questions, they'll all be answered soon enough. I promise." She told him, kissing his little nose.

He giggled and Claire finished packing.

**…...**

_Knock. Knock. Knock. _

Claire rapped her hand on the door and Aaron jumped up and down with excitement while holding her hand.

A pretty blonde woman opened the door. A small, eight year old girl that looked a lot like the woman was hiding behind her legs.

"Uhh how may I help you?" Karen Pace kindly asked.

"Hi. My name is Claire, Claire Littleton. Does Liam Pace live here?"

"Yes, I'm his wife. Do you want me to go get him for you?" she asked kindly.

"That would be nice, thank you." Claire smiled back.

In a minute a man that looked Charlie came back. Astonished, Claire couldn't tear her eyes from him. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name's Claire Littleton, this is my son Aaron. You see, I knew your brother and would like to talk to you about him. There are some things I think you deserve to know and a couple things I'd like to ask."

"Of course! Come in." Liam beckoned for both of them to come in. With a sad sort of smile, he pointed towards the living room which was just off of to the side. "You two can take a seat on the couch. I'll get Karen to get some drinks."

Once they were all seated and Aaron was slurping his juice through a straw Claire mentioned "Thank you… for your hospitality."

"So, you say you knew Charlie?"

"I did!" Claire piped up, remembering why she had come. "I actually…. I loved him, ."

"Are you my Uncle Liam?" Aaron interrupted. Shock and surprise ran through Liam Pace's mind.

"He… This... Is Aaron Charlie's son? No…" Liam mumbled through confusion pointing at the now also confused Aaron.

"No! Not biologically! Although Charlie was the closest thing to a father Aaron has ever had. Charlie really loved Aaron."

Relief washed over Liam but new confusion arose. "But, I don't understand. By the looks of him, Charlie should have died before Aaron was even born."

"That's what I was getting to. I know this will be hard to believe, and you might not even want to. But, I pray that you eventually will. See, Charlie is dead…. But the time and place of his death is a lie."

"What are you saying?!" Liam's mind was starting to overflow.

"He didn't die when Oceanic Flight 815 crashed, and neither did I, even though that's what the world thinks. We crashed on a very special island, and there were about forty survivors. We lived on that island for a couple months; I gave birth to Aaron on it. But, then a freighter came to the island and we thought the people on board were going to save us. Charlie died so we could be rescued. He drowned while he was fixing this communication system that would allow us to make contact with the people aboard. The station was underwater, Charlie knew it was a one way trip." Claire stopped to cry.

Liam started tearing up as well. "I don't understand."

Claire took a deep breath and decided to leave all the supernatural and bizarre things out for now. "This is where it gets complicated. I'll try to explain it the best I can. Before, Charlie died he realized something, that the people on that freighter weren't who they said they were. He warned us. Some believed his final message and some didn't. But, it turned out he was right. There were people on that boat who came and tried to kill us all. We managed to…. Get them off our trail but only six survivors escaped. The ones who were left behind, including myself were left behind for good because we knew those people from the freighter would try and find us again. The six that escaped, you know them as the Oceanic Six, had to lie to protect the rest of us." After seeing the face Liam wore, Claire added "I know it's a lot."

"How do I know you're not just a liar looking for money?" he asked.

"Because, I don't ask for any!" Claire cried.

"Tell me something, tell me something about Charlie that can prove you knew him, loved him."

Claire thought for a moment. "He learned how to swim at Butlins."

Liam smiled. "I remember that day. Did he tell you about it?"

"No. Before he died, he wrote a list of his best memories and wanted to give it to me. That was on it." Claire paused for a moment. "And, so was the Christmas you gave him this ring." Claire pulled out the DS ring and showed it to Liam.

Aaron who had been preoccupied trying to take a nap until now piped up at the ring he had only seen several times. "Mummy! I thought you said that should never leave your jewelry box!"

Claire rumpled her son's hair and told him "This is a special occasion." before turning back to Liam.

She held it out for him to see. He took it with the same shaking hands Claire had when she first took it from Kate. "This is what I came here to talk to you about. Charlie left it to Aaron, but I know it's sort of a family heirloom so I was, I was-

"If he left it for Aaron, then it will be Aaron's." Liam declared.

Claire smiled. "Th-Thank you."

Aaron looked at the ring and smiled. Liam handed it back to Claire, tears now streaming down both their eyes.

"I have a question, if you don't mind." Liam wondered.

"Oh, of course."

"So, I'm guessing there wasn't an unlimited supply of heroin on that island, so…"

"Oh, there actually was." Claire mindlessly told him but a second later added a second later "Oh! But, Charlie gave up drugs! He was long clean by the time he died a hero. He's one of the best men I'll ever know."

Liam nodded. "Did you hear that Aaron? Your daddy was one of the best people ever! And, one day, when you're old enough you'll get to wear his ring."

**…...**

"You look great." Middle aged but still quite beautiful, Claire told her now sixteen year old son on the night of his birthday.

"Thanks mum." Aaron said back, turning to look at her from the mirror.

"I've waited a long time to do this, because I really wanted to make sure you wouldn't lose it, but I think it's time you had this. Happy birthday, Aaron." She said holding out a small box.

Aaron, now as tall as Claire, slim, strong and still blond approached his mother and took the tiny box. He opened it, knowing exactly what it was. He looked at it for a moment before putting the ring on his finger.

"I know you don't think I remember him, but I do… sometimes." Aaron assured Claire. "Sometimes, just barely I remember being in his arms, and feeling warm and safe. I remember his face, just barely. The pictures preserve it though. I remember that my father was a beautiful man." Aaron recalled.

"I'm glad, because he was. Your father wasn't just a beautiful man. He was kind, and deep, honest, and loving, dedicated, good hearted, very brave and very amazing. He wore that ring while being all those things. He wore it through his ups and downs, it never left his finger. When you wear this, it will represent everything that was good in him, in you."

Aaron smiled and hugged his mom. "Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too, Turnip Head. And, your father does too."


End file.
